Device for disinfecting transmitters and receivers of telephones.



No. 667.484. Patented Feb. 5, I90l. C. F. AXTELL.

DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING TRANSMITTEBS AND RECEIVERS 0F TELEPHONES.

(Application filed May 25, 1900.)

(No Model.)

A TTOHNEYS,

Unrrnn STATES ATENT Fries.

CYRUS F. AXTELL, OF NEW YORK, N.

DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING TRANSMITTERS AND RECEIVERS OF TELEPHONES.

SEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,484, dated February 5, 1901.

Application filed May 25, 1900;

T0 at whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS F. AXTELL, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices forDisinfecting the Transmitters and Receivers of Telephones, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The necessity for the application of some efficient and at the same time simple means of disinfecting the receivers and transmitters of telephones is well known and understood, and one purpose of this invention is to accomplish this result through the agency of' ozone or the agency of ozonized air, the antiseptic properties of which are also well known.

Another purpose of the invention is to generate the ozone necessary for the purpose through the agency of a current of electricity produced or generated by the magneto forming a portion of all ordinary telephones, although the necessary current of electricity may be obtained from other sources.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a front elevation of a telephone, illustrating the application of the disinfecting apparatus thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the telephone, the box containing the ozone-generator being in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the transmitter of the telephone and the supplypipe which distributes the disinfectant or ozonized air thereto, a portion of the pipe appearing in section. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of'the transmitter of a telephone, the ozone-generator being applied directly thereto; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a Siemens tube,which is generally employed in carrying out the invention.

A represents a telephone, B the transmitter, and C the receiver, all of which parts may be of the usual type.

In order to produce the ozone or ozonize air necessary for disinfecting the transmitter Serial No. 17,945. KNo model.)

and receiver, I em ploya small ozone-tube 10' such, for instance, as a Siemens ozonetube' which may be placed wherever desirable, which tube will be referred to in detail later on. In the drawings the tube is shown as supported within the generator-chamber ll, resting on the telephone-box. When the generator is so placed, the main supply'pipe 12 is carried from the generator in direction of the transmitter and receiver, terminating in a horizontal tubular ring 13, having apertures 1a in its upper surface. This supply-ring is preferably of less diameter than the diameter of the diaphragm end of the receiver, and the ring 13 occupies such a position that it is slightly below the receiver when the latter is hung upon its hook, as shown in Fig. 1. The main supply-pipe 12 is shown provided with a flexible branch pipe 1 5, connected with a tubular distributing-ring 16, which lies at the mouth section of the transmitter, having apertures 17 in its rear surface, as is particularly shown in Fig. 3.

When the parts are assembled as shown in the drawings, a small induction-coil 18 is placed in the generating-chamber l1, actuated by the current generated by the magneto of the telephone, although the current may be derived from other sources. 'When the magneto is employed, it has been found in practice that it is preferable to connect the primary of the induction-coil with the poles of the magneto, and the terminals of the secondary of the induction-coil are then connected to the exterior and interior coatings of the ozone-tube in the usual manner. Air is forced through the ozone-tube and generator 10 through the medium of a small bellows or pump 19, connected with the annular space of the generator or ozone-tube by means of a suitable pipe 20, and the bellows or pump 19 is actuated by the magneto-shaft 22. The

connection between this shaft and'the bellent discharge of the induced current taking place in the annular space of the ozonetube converting a portion of the air contained therein into ozone. Simultaneously with the action of the bellows or small pump attached to and actuated by the magneto-shaft, as has been heretofore described, a current of air is forced through the ozone-tube or generator and thence through the pipes 12 and 15 to the distributing-rings 14 and 16 of the receiver and transmitter of the telephone. This air during its passage through the ozone-tube is partially converted into ozone, as is well understood. As has been stated, the necessary current may be obtained from sources other than the magneto, in which case the induction-coil is of a form suitable for the employment of such current.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the generatingtube 10 as placed directly at the mouth of the transmitter B, and the induction-coil connected with the said generator may be placed at any desired point and the current created in any desired manner. Under the construction shown in Fig. 4 the pipe 25 is connected with a source of airsnpply-a bellows or pump, for example-and the generator 10 is provided with an outlet-nozzle 26, from which the ozonized air will escape, and this nozzle is so placed that the said air will be directed to the diaphragm of the transmitter.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a construction of Siemens tube. This tube consists, essentially, of two glass tubes m and .00, one within the other, the tubes being separated from each other by a small annular space, except where they are fused together, as at a. The inner surface of the inside/tube and the outer surface of the outside tube are covered with tinfoil, and the wires from an induction-coil or other source of high-tension current are connected with these tin-foil coverings. Air is forced into the inlet-tube b and during its passage through the said annular space is subjected to the action of the silent discharge, through which it is ozonized. The ozonized air is then discharged through the tube 0, from which it is conducted to the various set led.

parts of an apparatus by means of suitable tubes. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a telephone and its mechanism, of a generator of ozone, and means for supplying the generated ozone to the transmitter and receiver of the telephone.

2. In a telephone, a generator of ozone, means for operating said generator, and supply devices for the ozonized air, having connection with the generator and located at the diaphragm portions of the transmitter and receiver of the telephone, as described.

3. In a telephone and its mechanism, agenerator of ozone, means for operating the said generator from the magneto-shaft of the tele' phone, devices for distributing the ozonized air to the receiver and transmitter, and a con- 'nection between the said devices and the generator, as specified.

4. The combination, with the transmitter and receiver of a telephone, of a generator of ozone, an induction-coil used in connection therewith, means for supplying a current of electricity to the generator, and means for supplying air to the generator, substantially as described.

. 5. The combination, with a telephone and its mechanism, of a generator of ozone, a supply-pipe leading from the generator, an induction-coil connected with the generator and the supply-pipe, a bellows or pump arranged to supply air to the generator, means for operating the bellows or pump from the magneto-shaft of the telephone, and perforated rings connected with the supply-pipe and arranged to direct the ozonized air to the diaphragm portions of the receiver and transmitter of the telephone, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

CYRUS F. AXTELL.

Witnesses:

J. FRED. AOKER, JNo. M. BITTER. 

